Let It Die
by Bandbabe
Summary: Snippets of the aftermath of Drew and Adam's rivalry over Fiona Coyne - Fiona/Adam pairing.
1. Truth

"Let It Die"

Summary: Snippets of the aftermath of Drew and Adam's rivalry over Fiona Coyne. (Fiona/Adam pairing)

Author's Note: So these are a series of related one-shots detailing the fallout from Drew and Adam's rivalry. They are **not** in chronological order.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"Truth"

.

Drew pushed angrily through the double doors. He had to know – was it true? He overheard that Adam and Fiona had almost kissed. He was going to confront his brother about this rumor. They had been fighting over her for the past two weeks. Drew told him to back off but Adam refused. At first he didn't think Adam stood a chance. He was just annoyed that every time he tried to make a move Adam would get in the way. Now he wasn't so sure.

He noticed there had been moments between them. Glances. Smiles. He always thought they were one sided but lately it was as if he could feel the energy shifting. It was strange because he was certain Fiona was into him. Girls always sought _him_ out. They gave in easily when he chased, but she was different. She didn't fall for premeditated lines. She was unimpressed by his status at school and position on the football team. When she looked at him he felt like she could see straight through him. The only way they connected was when he let his guard down and was real with her. It was disconcerting. His first instinct was to pull back and retreat to what he knew. Whenever he did he could feel the mood shift between them and her interest decline.

Drew didn't give up easily and he was determined to win the affections of Fiona Coyne. What he didn't understand is why he felt competitive with his brother. Adam was in grade 10, was in the science club, and was born a girl. While he loved his brother, he acknowledged that in high school where reputation meant everything those were definitely deal breakers. So why did he have to fight dirty?

This morning he had spotted Adam talking to Fiona. They were in the gym setting up for career day. Drew walked over and joined their conversation. He was annoyed that Adam hadn't taken the hint and left after he steered the conversation towards a topic he discussed previously with Fiona. Nope, he had to stay there and interject from time to time.

Drew knew it was low but he made a reference to Adam currently being on his period. Embarrassed his brother had quickly walked off. What he didn't expect was for Fiona to tell him off and follow after Adam. From what he overheard Eli and Clare discussing minutes ago, that's when 'the incident' almost happened.

Now he was marching towards Adam's locker. Drew suddenly stopped short. He was almost clipped by the closing double doors. He frowned as he took in the sight in front of him.

He saw Adam and Fiona standing by her locker. They were turned toward each other and didn't see him. They were talking too softly for him to make out their words, but his attention was drawn towards their hands. They were holding hands!

Adam suddenly looked up. He defiantly held Drew's gaze. A moment later Fiona also turned, curious as to what Adam was looking at. Drew looked at her confused and hurt. She looked slightly sympathetic and gave him a small shrug. She did not let go of Adam's hand.

Drew looked at his brother again, and sent him a questioning look. Adam nodded his head and then broke away, returning his gaze to Fiona. Drew stood there stunned for a few moments before heading back through the double doors.

He couldn't believe it, but he knew what he saw with his own eyes. He had lost. Fiona picked Adam over him.

.


	2. Low Blow

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"Low Blow"

.

"Why can't you get over it? She didn't pick you!" Adam screamed at his brother.

This was most undignified. They were at school, in a half filled class room with many witnesses to this argument. Yet, there was no holding back. Tensions had reached a fever pitch between the brothers. After two weeks of intense rivalry over Fiona Coyne the once close Torres brothers were openly feuding.

"Screw you Adam! That's not what this is about," Drew yelled. Why did his little brother have to be such a self-righteous prick?

Adam sneered, "Really?" He wanted to know what ridiculous explanation his older brother had for being an asshole for the past three days.

"You went behind my back, Adam! That wasn't cool," Drew argued. He had put his claim on Fiona first. "You're a backstabber."

Adam rolled his eyes. "Fiona is a PERSON! Not a piece of meat you can stake a claim to."

A retort flew out of mouth before he could stop it. "At least I have a piece of meat."

He saw a change in Adam's eyes and instantly felt guilty. But before he could mumble an apology Adam rushed towards him and pushed him hard. Drew widened his eyes in shock. Growing up they had wrestled a lot, but they never got into a physical fight before.

"Adam!" Eli yelled as he rushed through the door. Clare and Wesley were right behind him. He immediately placed himself between the two brothers. "Come on guys, calm down! This isn't worth it."

Adam and Drew continued to glare at each other.

"Do you really want your Mom to be called down to the school?" Clare asked them. Both boys visibly stiffened. Clare gave a small smile at her handiwork. She looked around the room very disappointed in the onlookers who did nothing to stop the brothers from fighting. If Wesley hadn't left to tell them, she was certain they would have come to blows. Adam looked especially riled up.

"Adam, let's go," Eli suggested as he pulled on his friend's arm. He wanted him far away from Drew. The past three days had been tense. Every since Fiona and Adam got together Drew had been acting like a total jerk. He was clearly bitter about the rejection.

Adam paused for a long moment, and then slowly followed Eli out of the room. Before leaving he turned towards his brother. Drew readied himself for parting words. Instead Adam gave him a withering look of hatred.

Drew's heart dropped. Why did he always have to go for the low blows?

.


	3. Hero

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"Hero"

.

Alli Bhandari was glad she took up Adam's suggestion to rejoin the science team. After over a month away she was happy to back at Degrassi. This time she believed a new start was possible – even if she was just an alternate on the team, practice was fun. Though Dave wasn't on the team apparently he joined them fairly often. He had them cracking up during breaks.

"Okay guys, let's head into the new round," Mr. Betenkamp told them. They had just finished a round of questions and he wanted them to get used to speed through.

Adam smiled when he spotted a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. He turned fully and sure enough Fiona was heading towards the room.

"Hey, can we take a short break?" he asked.

Mr. Betenkamp glanced up and noticed the whole team nodding in agreement. "Um, sure. Let's take five," he responded.

Adam grinned and headed into the hallway.

Wesley, Connor, and Dave shared a knowing look and leaned towards the scene unfolding outside the door with interest.

Alli frowned. "Am I missing something?"

The three boys turned to her amused.

"She doesn't know," Connor stated the obvious.

Alli glanced at Adam and Fiona talking in the hallway. "Doesn't know what?"

Dave spoke up. "Adam's dating Fiona Coyne."

"What!" Alli yelled surprised. The three boys shushed her. "How did that happen?"

Dave gave her a look. "Trust me, that's what _every_ guy in Degrassi wants to know. Especially Drew."

Alli narrowed her eyes at the mention of his name. "Drew liked her?"

Dave answered matter-of-factly. "They were both fighting over her. She chose Adam."

With that Alli broke out in genuine laughter. She laughed so hard her eyes filled with tears.

Adam gave Fiona a bright smile as they parted ways. She wanted more clues about their date on Friday. It was their first official date and Adam was keeping the details to himself. He wanted to surprise her, but he enjoyed her guesses about it. Their exchange left him feeling like he was walking on air. He practically floated back into the room.

He didn't notice anything amiss when he sat back down on his stool. It didn't register that conversation had halted the minute he walked in.

After a moment Alli spoke. "Adam, you're my hero."

He looked at her puzzled. "Er- okay. Are we gonna get back to science?"

.


	4. For You

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"For You"

.

"Adam!" Audra Torres called. They had just finished dinner and she wanted to pull him aside before the night got too late. A short while later her son surfaced in the kitchen.

"Yeah, Mom?" he asked. He was chatting with his friends on AIM and was anxious to get back upstairs.

"Sit." They sat on the stools near the kitchen island.

Adam noted the serious look on her face and felt uneasy.

"Adam, first of all I want to let you know I remember that Grace is gone. I will never ask you to dress up again," his mother stated.

He felt a small measure of relief was still on edge as he waited for her to continue.

"Grams is coming into town tomorrow. It's last minute so we're going to meet her for dinner," she told him. Adam sent her a confused look. "It's going to be just Drew, your father, and I. We're not ready to introduce her to Adam yet. I promise you the next time she's in town we will."

Adam wasn't sure if he should feel disappointed or relieved. He was happy he wasn't asked to play Gracie, but he wasn't invited to dinner either.

"Next time?" he asked hopeful. He didn't like feeling like a dirty secret.

Audra smiled at him. "Next time. Promise."

-oOo-

Clare glanced at him nervously. "Are you sure about this?"

Adam hesitantly raised his eyes to hers. He felt a mixture of emotions right now. He didn't want to do this. He hated doing this. But when he answered the phone this morning and Grams was on the other line, his resolve broke. She told him she was sad he couldn't make it to dinner. That she didn't want to guilt him, but she truly missed him. She loved him and wished she saw him more.

The disappointment in her voice had been weighing on him all day. Finally at the end of the day he had cornered Clare and asked her for a favor.

"Yes," Adam answered.

Clare pulled out a couple of outfits from her closet. They were clearly girls clothes, but they were rather neutral tones. She figured Adam would be more comfortable in these.

Adam tugged on his collar as he approached the restaurant. He was a few minutes late but he was sure it would be fine. He hated the clothes he was wearing. He hated the clip in his hair. The only thing that would keep him sane throughout the evening was his phone. He and Fiona had been texting all evening. Hearing from her would make this bearable – even if she didn't know the full extent of what he was doing tonight.

"Gracie!" Grams exclaimed. She had spotted him first. His mother whipped her head around surprised. He could tell Drew and his stepfather were also stunned.

Adam smiled at his grandmother and gave her a hug.

"I'm so happy you could join us!" she said happily as she made room for him at their table.

"Gracie, I thought you had other plans," his mother said with a hint of concern. He didn't meet her eyes.

"Um, my plans have changed," Adam shrugged.

"That's for sure," Drew muttered. Both parents gave him a warning look. Adam ignored his comment and did his best to ignore his brother.

Despite the awkward arrival, dinner progressed smoothly. Right after his food came Adam received a text from Fiona.

_**I hope family dinner is going well – Fiona C.**_

Adam smiled brightly. Hearing from her lifted his spirits.

From across the table, Drew rolled his eyes. Even at family dinner Adam was rubbing his relationship with Fiona in his face. He got an idea.

"So Gracie, how are things with Fiona," Drew asked with an innocent smile.

Adam looked at him cautiously. It was the first time his brother addressed him all night and this was the topic he chose to bring up. "Fine," he said quickly. His parents didn't know about Fiona and a long pause would surely grab their attention.

"That's great," Drew said. He looked at his parents and Grams. "Fiona and Gracie are close. _Really_ close."

There was pause. His mother sent Adam a confused look. "Um, she's really nice." Adam inwardly cringed. He needed to change the topic fast.

"Yeah, Grace thinks the world of her…" Drew trailed off. He could tell Adam was uncomfortable and could barely hide his smirk.

Adam kept his eyes on Drew. He didn't dare to look at his mother because he could sense she was looking between the two of them with comprehension dawning. It was time to fight fire with fire.

"So does Drew. He actually thinks a great deal about her," Adam countered. Drew looked at him curiously.

"He let her know, but she wasn't interested," Adam continued. Drew openly glared at him. "It _happens_."

His mother sent him a warning look but Adam didn't care. He could tell Drew was embarrassed.

Grams looked at Drew with concern. "I'm sorry things didn't work out with Gracie's friend," she said sweetly. "Don't worry. There are other fish in the sea."

Adam smiled smugly.

Perhaps it was the old woman's pity that made him snap.

"Gracie kisses girls now!" Drew blurted out.

Everyone froze. Adam looked at his brother with his eyes were wide in shock. He couldn't believe Drew just did that.

Grams looked from Adam to his mother. After a long, awkward moment she questioned, "Is this true?"

Adam stared down at his plate. He couldn't bear to meet their eyes.

Audra closed her eyes. This was not how she expected dinner to go. She made a decision. "Actually, it's more complicated than that. We need to talk," she said in a shaky voice. Her husband, Omar, held her eyes in a show of support.

She took a deep breath and then turned toward her sons. "Drew, can you head out front? Adam, you too," she told them.

Adam looked up when he heard his name. Had she really called him that? His mother looked at him and nodded.

Adam stood up, as did Drew. As he left the table he heard Grams say, "Who's Adam?"

Drew eyes were filled with guilt when they reached the sidewalk. Moments later Adam followed. His eyes were filled with tears.

"Adam, I'm sorry," Drew pleaded. It hit him that he crossed a line he never thought he would. He knew how emotionally charged Adam's situation with Grams was, yet he proceeded to hurt his brother anyway. And for what? A girl. He really liked Fiona but even he could acknowledge his crush on her in no way justified his actions tonight.

"No," Adam said in a low, dangerous voice. "No, you're not! I didn't think you could hate me that much but I was wrong."

"I DON'T HATE YOU ADAM!" Drew yelled. "You're my brother. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

Adam didn't respond. He didn't have the mental fortitude to do so. All he could think about was the shock and fear in Grams' voice when she asked if it was true. She thought he was a lesbian. He didn't want to imagine how she would react to finding out he was transgendered. He was a freak. She'd never talk to him again.

"Adam! Adam!"

Hearing his name pulled him away from his thoughts. "I can't deal with this right now," he said more to himself.

"What?" Drew said confused. "Where are you going?"

He watched as Adam ran down the street into the dark night.

.

* * *

A/N: Just a reminder this one-shots are related. This will be revisited, but not right away.

Thanks for all the reviews and subscriptions :D


	5. Career Day

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"Career Day"

.

Adam arrived early to help with setup of career day, hoping to see her. After awhile he became absorbed in his work and the nervous knot in his stomach disappeared. Sometime later Fiona appeared by his side.

They worked together on a panel for scientists. She asked him questions related to the science club and he had a good time making her laugh. Seeing her smile always made him feel warm inside.

Suddenly Drew showed up and the mood shifted. He wanted her attention and not too subtly switched to a topic that he had discussed with Fiona previously. Alone at the Dot. He was edging Adam out. Not being one to back down from a challenge, Adam added to the conversation wherever he could.

"They switch their desserts up a lot. We should check out their chocolate cake sometime," Drew said to Fiona. She smiled.

Adam shrugged. "Tillman's isn't bad. But the place on Morrison Street has the best chocolate desserts."

"Is that so? You sound like a regular chocolate aficionado," Fiona teased. He gave her a small smile. Inside he was thrilled to see the amusement in her eyes.

Drew resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Yeah, well he should be. He eats so much of the stuff around this time of the month."

Adam glared at him. Drew looked back innocently. After an awkward moment Adam hastily excused himself and exited the gym.

It was easier to focus on being mad at Drew then to revisit how mortified he was. The worse part of fighting with your brother was that he knew which digs would get under your skin. Adam undermined Drew's intelligence in front of Fiona. It was petty but they were at war. Drew would undermine his age. It was annoying but fair game he supposed. However, when he undermined his gender, Adam felt it was taking it too far.

He sat on the steps of the stairway. He wasn't going to cry. Not even angry, frustrated tears.

"Adam?" He turned at the sound of a soft voice. To his surprise it was Fiona. He assumed she continued to talking to his brother.

She walked over to him. "Are you alright?"

Adam forced a grin. "Yeah, of course."

She studied him as she sat down beside him. "You seemed upset."

He shook his head. "I just needed some air," he said nonchalantly.

She looked at him. He could tell she didn't believe him. He brought his eyes to hers hoping to convince her otherwise. Looking into her eyes he felt a spark. Suddenly he was aware that they were alone and how close they were sitting together. Neither of them spoke. He felt this pull towards her.

Fiona abruptly looked away. "I should go."

She stood up and Adam nodded, not quite trusting himself with words. He kept his eyes on the ground as she left the stairwell.

'_What the heck was that?_' he thought. That was a moment, right? Adam sighed. It didn't mean anything though. She still left.

Without warning he heard the stairwell door open again.

"Or I could stay here," Fiona said. He turned around to see her standing there. She wasn't quite sure of herself, but she held her ground.

His legs moved of their own accord, as he stood up and found himself walking towards her. He stopped right in front her. He was close. So close he could smell the fragrance of her perfume. He could hear the sound of her breathing and noted the question in her eyes. He idly wondered if her heart was beating as fast as his.

He looked deeply into her eyes and this time he was certain they were having a moment. He moved his eyes down to her lips. He wondered if it would be alright to kiss her. He never wanted something so bad. He returned his eyes to hers, silently asking for permission.

Fiona leaned forward ever so slightly. Emboldened, he began to close the distance between them.

Suddenly the bell rang.

Adam and Fiona snapped out of their trance. They shyly took a step back.

"Um, Class?" Adam inwardly cringed. He didn't know why he stated that as a question!

Fiona nodded and headed towards the door, "S-see you later."

Several moments later he grinned when he realized she had been nervous too.

.

* * *

A/N: This is the "almost kiss" mentioned in chapter 1! :D


	6. Gossip

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"Gossip"

.

She was grabbing books from her locker when hushed chatter caught her attention. Usually she just avoided the gossip but it was really annoying when people were obviously talking about you. She looked in the direction of the speakers with an icy expression on her face. She was ready to comment on their rudeness when a few words caught her attention.

"Fight.. pushed.. Torres.."

"Excuse me," Fiona called to the students huddled a few lockers down. She marched over to them. "Can you repeat what you said?"

They stared at her, a little scared. They wore purple shirts indicating that they were sophomores. She didn't recognize any of them and decided to use their fear to her advantage. She raised an eyebrow demanding a response.

"Um, nothing," a kid with glasses answered. The tall girl next to him rolled her eyes.

"The Torres brothers were fighting," she revealed.

"What?" Fiona said alarmed.

"They were arguing. A bit of shoving, that's it," the girl continued. She felt a little guilty. They never interacted before so it was strange for her to see Fiona Coyne upset at the gossip her friends spread as mild entertainment.

"Drew shoved Adam?" Fiona asked concerned. She thought his behavior was juvenile the past few days about this was beyond the pale.

"Actually, I heard Adam shoved Drew," the kid with the glasses chimed in.

Fiona looked at him confused for a few moments. Then she chuckled. "Wait, that's not funny," she caught herself.

She felt terrible that the relationship between the brothers was so horribly strained. However, if Adam shoved Drew she figured he probably deserved it.

The sophomores also smiled.

"You really are with Adam?" the tall girl blurted out. She cringed embarrassed by her faux pas.

Fiona tilted her head. "Don't worry about it," she told her. "Yeah, I am with him."

They gaped at her for a few seconds. They didn't expect her to be so forthcoming about it. Then again, this whole exchange showed she was different then how they expected her to be.

"I have media immersion with Adam. He's a cool guy," the tall girl added.

Not sure how to respond, Fiona nodded. The warning bell rang, saving her from thinking of more words to say.

"Well, um, thanks," Fiona said. She gave the group a small wave and headed to class.

"Wow, that was weird," she heard as she walked away.

"Yeah, but pretty cool too," another student remarked.

Fiona smiled and shook her head. She opened her bag and fished for her phone so that she could text Adam. She was going to get to the bottom of this.

.

* * *

A/N: Woo hoo, thanks for the reviews!


	7. Tough Guys

Summary and notes in part 1.

A/N: Sorry for the confusion is the last chapter. Those were OC. I figured juniors wouldn't be as intimidated and freshmen would be less in the loop. Lol. Thanks for the reviews guys!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"Tough Guys"

.

The day after Drew told himself he didn't care. If Fiona wanted to be with Adam, that was her choice. It was good that his brother finally had someone in his life. There were plenty of other girls for him to pursue, so Fiona's rejection didn't matter.

That changed the first time he walked down the hall and heard others snicker as he walked by. He brushed it off the first couple of times, but the more it happened the angrier he got.

Didn't his brother care how this whole debacle with Fiona would make him look? He always had Adam's back and yet when he needed him Adam was no support at all. Couldn't he keep his relationship with Fiona to himself? Just for the time being? Nope. It wasn't long before the whole school knew something was up.

"Torres!" he heard. Drew looked up to see Owen smirking at him. He really hated that guy. He had been ribbing him about Adam and Fiona for the last two practices.

"I'm not in the mood," Drew hissed.

"Neither is Fiona — at least with you!" Owen laughed along with half the locker room.

Drew glared at him. "Shut up!"

"Oooh! Someone's touchy today. I guess your _brother_ isn't the only one in the family lacking balls," Owen sneered.

"That insult doesn't even make sense," K.C. spoke up.

Drew sent him a thankful look.

"What's it to you Guthrie?" Owen challenged.

"Okay, enough guys," Riley interjected as he walked into the room. He could tell a standoff between K.C., Drew, and Owen was brewing. "Let's save it for the field."

Owen opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when he took in Riley's serious expression. He gave Drew one last parting glance before heading out to the field.

Drew finished putting on his gear and grabbed his helmet.

On his way out Zane caught up to him. "Hey man, I caught the tail end of that. Are you alright?"

Drew glared at him. The other guys said nothing about the incident, as dictated by social norms.

"I'm not a porcelain doll," Drew responded dismissively. He didn't need Zane to verbalize his pity. "Don't worry your head about it, princess."

Zane's expression hardened. He was trying to be nice. He experienced Owen's nasty side earlier in the year. However, now he could see that he shouldn't have bothered.

Drew ignored him as he walked briskly to the field.

.


	8. Heat Seeking Missile

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"Heat Seeking Missile"

.

The hallways echoed with the click of her high heels as Audra Torres walked briskly toward Principal Simpson's office. She was at Degrassi for official PTA business but she couldn't stop thinking about how horribly wrong dinner when last night. Drew and Adam's argument led to Adam's secret being exposed in the worst way possible to Grams.

After excusing the boys from the table, she and her husband had a long talk with Grams. The older woman took the news hard. She didn't understand but she said she loved her grandchild no matter what. Audra was eager to pass this news to her son, however when she returned to the house he wasn't home yet. This gave her and Omar amble time to tear into Drew for the callous stunt he had pulled.

Sometime later Adam returned, wearing his own clothes. He was angry at Drew and had choice words for his brother. Audra and Omar were having none of it. They separated the boys and demanded to know about to know why they were fighting.

'_She's probably somewhere around here_,' Audra thought to herself. Fiona Coyne was the reason her sons had gone from the best of friends to bitter rivals. She didn't like it one bit and she certainly didn't trust this girl with Adam.

The bell to change classes rang and an influx of students appeared in the hallway. When she rounded the corner she spotted Adam leaving a classroom.

"Adam!" she called. He looked up startled.

"Mom?" Adam inwardly groaned. "What are you doing here?"

Audra didn't answer. Instead she searched the halls for the skank responsible for last night's horrendous dinner. "Where is she?"

"Who?" Adam asked confused.

Further down the hallway she spotted a girl by the lockers with long wavy brown hair. She was talking to another girl while getting books out of her locker.

"Is that her?" Audra questioned. She glanced quickly at Adam. His expression said it all. She started briskly walking towards the girl.

'_Shit!_' Adam thought. '_How does she do that?_' His mother had a knack for recognizing people from photos. This skill had been used to him and Drew's detriment many times. He ran to catch up with his mother. As they approached Fiona and Holly J he sent them warning looks.

Fiona Coyne smiled as her friend Holly J continued her story. The day was moving rather quickly. She had one more period to go before lunch with Adam. Abruptly Holly J stopped talking and nudged her arm.

"Um, Fiona," she said. Before she could warn the other girl Mrs. Torres was already standing in front of them with Adam trailing behind. He looked extremely apologetic.

"Are you Fiona Coyne?" Audra asked in an even tone.

Fiona was taken aback by the swift change of circumstance. Just a moment ago she was having a casual conversation with her best friend. Now she was face to face with her boyfriend's scary mom.

She glanced briefly at Adam before responding, "Yes." She held out her hand. "You must be Mrs. Torres. It's lovely to meet you."

Holly J stood awkwardly to the side. She had to admire her friend's manners.

Mrs. Torres shook her hand. "Likewise," she said blandly. Gesturing to Adam she said, "I hear you've recently been spending time with my son."

Fiona smiled brightly. "Yes—"

"Has he extended our invitation to dinner tomorrow night?" Audra pressed.

Adam and Fiona nodded at the same time. "She knows," Adam said.

"I'm sure she has a voice of her own," Mrs. Torres admonished.

Fiona turned to Adam with a smile. "He's right. Thank you for having for me. I will be there."

Audra gave her a quick appraising look. "Alright, I will see you then," she said and started toward Principal Simpson's office. Over her shoulder she said, "Adam, I'll see you at home."

"Okay Mom," he called after her.

"What the hell was that?" Holly J exclaimed once she was out of earshot. She had heard stories and Mr. Simpson had complained about her many times. But this was the first time she had witnessed Mrs. Torres' demeanor up close and personal. Adam was such a sweet guy. She felt for him that his mother was so aggressive and standoffish.

"I am so sorry," Adam said apologetically. "Really."

Fiona shook her head. "Adam, you don't have to apologize."

"No, she came in out of nowhere. I didn't tell her where to find you, but she closed in like a heat seeking missile." His words caused Fiona and Holly J to laugh.

"So how did she find out about you guys anyway?" Holly J asked.

Adam and Fiona looked at each other. "Drew," he said solemnly.

Holly J was stunned. "You're kidding me?" She knew Drew was acting like a jerk these days, but alerting their mom? That seemed low even for him.

Adam shifted uncomfortably. "It came up at dinner."

"Dinner? As in dinner with your family?" Holly J cringed at the thought.

Fiona turned to Adam. "I'm sure it will be fine."

"Are you serious?" Holly J questioned. "You're not actually going to that dinner? You would be walking into an ambush!"

"Hey. My dad is pretty cool," Adam told her.

The warning bed rang.

Holly J shrugged. "I've got to run to class. See you guys later." She said and sprinted down the hall.

"We should get a move on too," Adam acknowledged. He reached for her hand. Fiona smiled at him as they hurried off in the same direction to their next classes.

.


	9. Moments

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

"Moments"

.

He did this every day. Head to the cafeteria and wait in line for food. Stumble along as the line moved. Choose his beverage a choice – he always chose plain milk. Decide between the two available entrees and then pay lunch in coins. He always had an abundance of coins.

Funny how one change could shift your perception of everything.

Adam couldn't stop smiling nor keep his eyes off of the beautiful girl in front of him. The princess, Fiona Coyne. They hadn't been dating that long, but he already he felt like his whole life had changed. Her presence added color to his previously black and white world. So standing in the lunch line was no longer a mundane activity.

Fiona turned to him with a conspiring grin, "I'll go for the tater tots if you get the fries."

Adam laughed, "It's a deal." They both thought it was ridiculous when Degrassi had them choose between two potato sides.

She smiled and turned facing forward. Lunch was now her favorite part of the day. She used to head to the Dot alone and pass the time reading magazines while she ate. Now she spent it with Adam and his friends. The hour was filled with laughter and lively conversation. Eli, Clare, and Alli were kind and welcoming. They didn't question their relationship. They regarded her as a human being, not a sculpture to be studied at a distance.

As fun as it was to be part of a group, what she enjoyed the most about lunch was spending time with Adam. Being in different grades they didn't have any classes together. They were incredibly lucky to have the same lunch period. She got to sit next to him, hold his hand, and share stories about how the day was going. When she was near him her heart beat faster. She felt so happy that was like she was floating on air. There was no other way she could really describe it.

"Time for the big decision of the day," Adam declared in a playful tone. "Jello or rice pudding?"

Fiona looked at him thoughtfully. "Hmm, that's a tough one."

They laughed as he reached for two jellos. Cherry flavored. The rice pudding looked scary and tasted even worse. Eli got it once on a dare and the consistency had made him dry heave.

"Here you go," Adam said he placed Fiona's on her tray. She reached out to stabilize it and they felt a jolt their hands touched. He stared deeply into her eyes. It was one thing he couldn't get enough of. Her eyes were beautiful and their lovely shade of blue captivated him. But it was more than that.

They say the eyes are the window into the soul. He was humbled and honored to see the honest emotion in her eyes. She didn't hold back who she was or how she felt about him. When he was hurt about the gossip surrounding them, or down about his deteriorating relationship with his brother, or just plain uncertain about why she would want him – her eyes brought him back. It reminded him that all that stuff didn't matter. He couldn't explain their connection if he tried, but it was there. It was powerful. And it was something neither one of them wanted to walk away from.

Wesley shifted on his feet uncertain. "Hey… um, there's space up ahead on the line."

Adam and Fiona looked away from each other and blushed. Sure enough when they faced forward there was pretty big gap ahead of them.

"Sorry," they muttered embarrassed and walked quickly to close the space. Further down the line Adam spotted Eli near the register. He already had his tray and was waiting for Clare. He looked at the two of them with smirk on his face. Adam glared at him and returned his attention getting off this line.

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A/N: Seriously, how awesome was tonight's Degrassi! Finally some FiAdam action! Loved it :D

Was inspired to write this piece. More to come.


	10. Gotta Tell You

"Let It Die"

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: So these are related one-shots detailing the fallout from Drew and Adam's rivalry. They are **not** in chronological order.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

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-oOo-

"Gotta Tell You"

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He felt like himself in his own clothes. It was just fabric, but it helped to calm him down. Tonight had been bad and he wasn't sure if it would get any better. He took a deep breath as he entered the house. In the living room he saw his parents and Drew. They looked angry and Drew looked guilty. Grams was nowhere in sight.

"Adam! Where were you?" His mother rushed toward him. He could hear a mixture of anger, frustration, and concern in her voice. He wasn't sure how to react so he shrugged.

"We were worried," his stepfather told him.

Adam slightly relaxed. "I'm fine. Where's Grams?"

"She's at her hotel," she responded. Audra hesitated. She knew Adam was wondering what happened after he left, but right now she needed to get to the bottom of the disgusting behavior her sons displayed tonight. "What happened tonight?" she demanded.

Adam glared at Drew. "Didn't he tell you?" he said in a clipped tone.

"Stop it," Audra said not liking his tone. "We want to hear what you have to say."

Adam sighed.

After talking with Clare he had calmed down a lot. He agreed with her that he should diffuse arguments with his brother instead of egging him on. For his part, Drew seemed collected and mostly stared at the floor. Adam wasn't much of a gambler, but he would bet that Drew got chewed out by their parents tonight. The thought made him happy, but it wasn't enough to quell his anger with how this evening turned out.

"There's a girl we both like," Adam started. His mother crossed her arms. "She chose me and every since Drew's been acting like a little bitch!"

"Adam!" both his parents yelled.

"We don't use that kind of language in this house," his mother scolded.

"Well, you asked," Adam retorted.

"I can't believe the two of you are fighting over a girl," Mr. Torres spoke up, clearly disappointed. "You are brothers."

"This is not how we planned to tell Grams about Adam," his wife reiterated. "Both of you, head to your rooms. We're going to talk."

Adam's anger subsided once he reached his room. Right now his mind focused on the dinner and Grams... What did she think? Did she hate him now?

Moment later the door flew open and his mother entered the room. She walked over to his computer chair and took a seat. She looked scary, but he figured there was no time like the present to state the obvious.

"Are you mad at me?"

Audra looked at her son and raised an eyebrow. Of course she was mad, but her anger wasn't concentrated on Adam. She wasn't happy that he and Drew were fighting, but with the events of tonight she was much more upset with Drew.

"Dinner was a disaster," she said sideswiping his inquiry. Adam nodded. "We explained things to Grams after you left."

Adam was dying to know more, but at the same time he wasn't sure if knowing more would hurt him. His mother grabbed his hand and he looked up.

"She doesn't understand Adam. She's going to need more time," Audra began. "But she wants you to know that she loves you no matter what."

Adam let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"She's going to always love you, Adam. We all are," his mother assured him.

He smiled. "Not so sure about Drew," he quipped.

His mother slightly frowned. "Is it true you're fighting over a girl?"

Adam was caught off guard with her question. Hadn't she heard they're arguing tonight? He recognized that part of her wanted another explanation for their conflict. He wished he could give her one, but it was too late to come up with a different story.

"Yes," Adam told her. "Well, it's not much of a fight anymore. Drew is bitter and vindictive."

"You need to fix things," Audra told him. It wasn't a suggestion; it was a demand.

"How? He's the one who won't let things go!"

Audra looked at him for a long moment. "Who is this girl?" She sounded like trouble.

"Her name's Fiona."

"Is what Drew implied true?" she asked.

Adam looked away. "Yeah, we just started dating."

He never told his mother about girls he liked. She didn't know of any crushes. It was only recently that she learned he dated his best friend in the eighth grade. He wasn't planning on telling her about Fiona. He saw how she interfered with Alli and all of Drew's other girlfriends. It seemed like a hassle it was best to avoid. Now he didn't have a choice.

His mother took a deep breath. She was uneasy about this news. She knew he wouldn't wake up one day and decide to be Gracie again, but the thought of him dating made things feel so final. Just when she thought she had come to terms with his transition, something new would tear open the wound.

After a long moment she spoke. "Let me see your phone."

"What?" Adam asked confused.

"I saw you texting on that and then Drew got upset. Let me see," she repeated.

"Mom, that's not fair. What does my phone have to do with anything?" She stared him down. Adam sighed and handed her his phone.

"What's the last message you got?" she asked.

Adam was annoyed. This was so unnecessary. Drew got mad because he was a jealous jerk. "It's in the inbox," he told her.

Audra frowned when she read this message. "Is this right?" she asked him as she showed him the phone.

Adam cracked a small smile, "Yeah." In a way he was happy that she saw Fiona's text. It was so benign that it only proved Drew was being an ass. He looked up at his mom triumphantly, only to see her with a pensive expression.

"Does she know about you, Adam?"

He frowned. "Of course! The whole school does, remember?" he said with edge in his voice. He was annoyed at the implication that the only way a girl would choose him over Drew was if he misled her.

Audra pursed her lips. "Are you sure?" she pressed. She didn't want a repeat of past incidences.

Adam rolled his eyes. "If she didn't know I'm pretty sure she figured it out the day Drew told her I was on my period," he quipped. He was still angry about that. It was yet another time when Drew fought dirty.

"He did what?" Audra yelled.

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A/N: Yeah, I haven't update this fic since "Umbrella" aired :-x However, last night I discovered this 'lost' chapter and filled in the gaps. Hope you enjoyed this one!


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